One of the things that adds greatly to my interest in a mineral specimen is the story associated with it. One such piece is the specimen pictured below. This stilbite was collected by Carl Wilhelm Paijkull, Professor of Geology at the University of Upsala, Sweden, during his 1865 expedition to Iceland. The following year he sold some of the specimens that he had collected, including this one, to the Natural History Museum in Stockholm. At some point, the piece was released from the collection and found its way to a mineral collection in Germany. Eventually, this latter collection was purchased by an American mineral dealer and I was fortunate to acquire the piece in 2010.

Paijkull wrote about his experiences in Iceland in a book titled “A Summer in Iceland” and the book was translated into English in 1868 by Rev. M. R. Barnard. The book gives an interesting look at life in this small island country, and his detailed observations about Iceland's rugged landscape, the people, customs, and travel are fascinating to read. In one of the chapters he describes collecting “many splendid [zeolite] specimens in the rocks near Teigarhorn by Berufjördur, at the foot of the gigantic Búlands peaks.”

I spent the summer of 1971 in Iceland, and though I never traveled to Berufjördur, it was interesting to compare Paijkull's descriptions with what I observed a little over 100 years later.

Crosstimber, the where, the why, the how, the passion involved in the pursuit are an incredible part of collecting, and add much to the data base. That to not find wonder in the back story of the deposit / piece is to miss the chance at immersion in the reason for this pursuit Thank you for making that point clear. And reminding me of that point.

Crosstimber, the where, the why, the how, the passion involved in the pursuit are an incredible part of collecting, and add much to the data base. That to not find wonder in the back story of the deposit / piece is to miss the chance at immersion in the reason for this pursuit Thank you for making that point clear. And reminding me of that point.

I cannot agree with you more! If every specimen could tell a story!!!_________________Pierre Joubert

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